Dunbar's Science Bowl team — from left, John Stokes, Valerie Sarge, Ryan Blood, Chloe Cao and Joseph Schneider, along with adviser Susan Magedanz — will compete in the National Science Bowl this week in Washington, D.C.

Dunbar's Science Bowl team — from left, John Stokes, Valerie Sarge, Ryan Blood, Chloe Cao and Joseph Schneider, along with adviser Susan Magedanz — will compete in the National Science Bowl this week in Washington, D.C.

Education notes: Week of April 24

■ Nancy Jones, the lead assistant in the cafeteria at Athens-Chilesburg Elementary, has received the 2013 Heart of the Program Award from the Kentucky School Nutrition Association. This statewide honor recognizes the contributions of school nutrition employees who prepare and serve meals to students. Award recipients are known for their customer service, interest in young people, cooperation and creativity.

Jones has worked at ACE since it opened in 2006; she was also at Julius Marks Elementary for two years.

Jones will receive a pin, certificate and ribbon during the Kentucky School Nutrition Association's conference June 17-19 at Lexington Center, and she will be recognized at a national conference July 14 in Kansas City, Mo.

■ A group from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School will represent the Kentucky/Ohio/Indiana region in the U.S. Department of Energy's National Science Bowl. During the April 25-29 activities in Washington, D.C., the students will compete against nearly 70 top teams from around the country. Team members are Chloe Cao, Ryan Blood, Valerie Sarge, Joseph Schneider and John Stokes. If Dunbar finishes in the top 16 nationally, the school's science department will receive $1,000.

■ A pair of anglers from Lafayette High School will advance to the KHSAA state bass fishing tournament April 26-27 at Kentucky Lake near Hardin. Riley Cobb and Ben Marshall placed 11th among the 13 boats qualifying out of Region 2. Fishing April 7 at Taylorsville Lake near Mt. Eden, they landed a bass that weighed two pounds and one ounce. Other students from Lafayette and Tates Creek High School also competed.

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association this year endorsed co-ed bass fishing as a sports activity, along with archery and competitive cheer. KHSAA added bowling last year.

■ Seniors Maria Ortiz of Paul Laurence Dunbar and Ethan Doll of Bryan Station high schools have received $1,000 scholarships from the Kentucky Society for Technology in Education.

■ Several students from Edythe J. Hayes Middle School earned accolades at the Kentucky Family, Career and Community Leaders of America leadership conference March 25-27 in Louisville. State-level winners advance to the national contests this summer in Nashville.

Kasai Baker, Clif Jackson and Trey Roberts won first place in the Environmental Ambassador category for their Shoe4Africa project, in which they collected gently used running shoes to help prevent malaria and foot diseases. Stephanie Bamfo, Abbey Paterson and Suzanne Seivers took top honors in Digital Stories for their video demonstrating the dangers of distractive driving. Savannah Roberts was runner-up in Recycle and Redesign for her baskets created from old newspapers.

■ Fayette County's FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)Robotics Competition team brought home the Team Spirit Award from the Smoky Mountain Regional, March 28-30 in Knoxville. Club leader Michael Halwes was selected as a Dean's List Award finalist. Halwes has been invited to the FRC World Championship April 24-27 in St. Louis, where 10 winners will be named.

■ Sayre Upper School students took top team honors at the 2013 State Team Chess Tournament on March 2. Sayre defeated Louisville's DuPont Manual High School with a final match score of 3.5 points to 0.5 points. Each of the 16 teams in the tournament ranks their four best players based on United States Chess Federation ratings, determined by a player's cumulative performance over several years in other USCF-sanctioned tournaments.

Sayre team members included Chris Cole, Joey Cole, Eric Shockley and Chauncey Hill. In addition to winning the state championship, Joey, Eric and Chauncey earned perfect score trophies for each game they played. To reach the championship round, Sayre defeated Jackson City Independent, Louisville's Pleasure Ridge Park and Crittenden County.

The Sayre Chess Team began competing in tournaments in 1987 and has been coached by Tom Isaacs since then.

Miscellaneous

■ Fifth-graders at Maxwell Spanish Immersion Magnet School researched, planned and hosted a "Night of Food & Art" that raised more than $3,500 for the Lexington Rescue Mission, a ministry that strives to meet the needs of the city's poor and homeless.

Organizing the school's April 12 event were Maxwell's Sierra O'Brien, Caleb Robinson, Mason Gohde and Jenna Gorman. The evening featured a cooking demonstration and food tasting provided by chefs and culinary arts students from Sullivan University, along with an art auction with works from Georgetown Ice House Gallery, turquoise jewelry, photographs on canvas, water color paintings on cloth and more.

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